Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to amend the Equalities Act 2010 to widen the definition of disability to include people with a mental health condition.

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

People with mental health conditions that fall within this definition are already protected from discrimination and are entitled to reasonable adjustments.

However, we are aware that people with certain mental health conditions, such as those with fluctuating or moderate symptoms, can have difficulty proving that they meet the Equality Act’s definition of disability, creating an extra barrier to challenging discrimination.

The Government is therefore exploring a number of options to extend or clarify protections from discrimination for people with certain mental health conditions, including through the Equality Act 2010.